New York fashion has a reputation for street-style and practicality. London is about eccentricity. Milan, of course, celebrates Italian womanhood with all its curvaceous and sexy glamour. At the Milan shows, though, we see creative and conceptual fashion techniques. From Alberta Ferretti to Fendi, there was romance in the hair. Think gorgeous waves, reminiscent ringlets, and whimsical tendrils. Alberta Ferretti and Etro had California ease with models in air-dried waves that were both sexy and cool. Giorgio Armani’s models were effortlessly beautiful in romantic updos with ringlets hanging over the face. Dolce & Gabbana’s Italian garden theme was on impressive display: afros decorated with flowers and updos with red roses.

While Romanticism reigned supreme in Milan, as always, Miuccia Prada beat to her own drummer. Models walked the runway in variations of the pixie cut and chunky headbands (a trend we identified earlier, starting in New York). Known to be political, Prada’s pixie cuts may be reference to the social unrest of the past year involving women. Potential politics aside, this hair style remains one of our favorites. It’s simple elegance with ease. Stylist Guido Palau took inspiration from Jean Seberg, who cut her hair for the 1957 breakout role in Saint Joan. “This kind of cut creates a new character,” said Palau. The following day at Versace, Palau was also inspired by this boy cut. At the later show, he gave model Edie Campbell a fun, shaggy pixie with highlights and lowlights creating a skunky effect.

Paris, the last of Fashion Week, is known for its chicness, refinement and understated glamour. Bangs were the big standout. Bangs are back! Dries Van Noten, our Paris favorite, had models with super choppy bangs. Stylist Sam McKnight used hair pieces to make it look like the model’s had hacked off their own hair.  At Giambattista Valli, model Oudey Egone had micro bangs.  At Stella McCartney, curly haired model, Radhika Nair, had a curly bob with bangs.

Wet-looking hair is another clear trend from all four Fashion Weeks, including Milan and Paris. Maison Margiela’s models walked the runway in wet strands pulled loosely over the face. Rick Owens models had two-tone hair that was also made to look wet. Sacai had wet hair pulled across the face, to double up as bangs. And of course, Paris wouldn’t be Paris without Chanel. “Rich Beach” was the theme of the show.  Hair was styled again by Sam McKnight. McKnight did not want the drier texture we get when using salt spray. Instead he used his own product, a texturing midst, to create the beach wave look with a soft and glossy, disheveled finish.